MANILA, Philippines, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- A judge who says he is a homosexual shouldn't be presumed to be dishonest, the Philippine Supreme Court determined.
The Supreme Court dismissed administrative cases of immorality and dishonesty filed against Eliseo Campos, a retired municipal court judge in Bayugan City by his estranged wife and son, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.
The court ruled, however, that Campos was guilty of misconduct for registering his then-minor son as the owner of a piece of property that was part of couple's separation and annulment cases.
The cases arise from an annulment petition filed by Campos in July 2008, a year before he retired. He said he was homosexual. He said his wife had affairs with other men that he neither stopped nor questioned, the Inquirer said.
His wife denied the accusations and said the judge wanted the marriage annulled to pursue marriage with another woman. She opposed the annulment and filed for a legal separation instead.
The high tribunal affirmed an investigating judge's findings that there was no proof that Campos had a relationship with another woman or was immoral because he was a homosexual.
"With respect to respondent's alleged homosexuality, such issue is for the determination of the trial court wherein the [annulment case] is pending. Thus, we also agree in absolving [him] from the charge of dishonesty," the opinion said. "The fact that [he] got married and had children is not proof against his claim of homosexuality. As pointed out, it is possible that [he] was only suppressing or hiding his true sexuality."
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2012/02/27/Ruling-Judges-homosexuality-not-immoral/UPI-30971330351134/#ixzz1njhi5ITb
